LAKERS NOTEBOOK: Nash doesn't feel like himself in return

SAN ANTONIO - It took Steve Nash three weeks to return to this point, but he made it painstakingly clear that he's far from fully healed from a sore right hamstring.

Nash only described his hamstring as "OK" after scoring 16 points on only 6-of-15 shooting Sunday in the Lakers' 91-79 loss in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center.

"I'm not myself. I'm not moving that well," Nash said. "I was struggling a little bit. There were a few shots I would normally make."

Nash played 29 minutes in his first game since missing the previous eight contests. At times, Lakers guard Steve Blake took over point guard duties while Nash played off the ball. It also remained clear Nash struggled setting up Pau Gasol, whose 16 points on 7-of-16 shooting mostly came on jump shots.

Nash received an epidural shot Tuesday to improve the nerves surrounding his hamstring. He said he's not able to have another shot for three more weeks, but he sounded adamant about staying on the court so long as he's medically cleared.

"It's important to try and contribute," Nash said. "We don't have enough points in our lineup."

Stepping up

In what marked the lone bright spot in an otherwise ugly game, the Lakers held the Spurs to a 41.1 percent shooting clip. In the previous two contests, the Lakers held their opponents below 40 percent shooting.

Blake played a large part in that effort, holding point guard Tony Parker to 18 points on an 8-of-21 mark from the field.

"I was pretty pleased with that. We did a good job as a team sticking to our coverages,' Blake said. "When he (Parker)got into the lane, I was able to contest and get some deflections on the ball. We did a pretty good job on him."

Banged up

Lakers guard Jodie Meeks suffered what the team described as a mild sprain in his left ankle, an injury Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni attributed to "stiffening up."

Meeks believed he felt pain after stepping on an opponent's foot after driving in for a layup. Either way, Meeks left with 9:11 in the second quarter to get his ankle retaped. He then appeared later in the second half.

"It was hurting," said Meeks, who plans to receive more treatment today. "But it should be good."

He said it

D'Antoni on losing to the Spurs three times during the playoffs when he coached the Phoenix Suns: "I've had therapy, I've gotten over it."